Tottenham had pushed for Randal Kolo Muani in January. Spurs were looking to sign a versatile forward to boost Ange Postecoglou’s attacking options for the second half of the season only for the Frenchman to reject the chance to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs ultimately ended up signing Mathys Tel on loan before making that move permanent earlier in the summer. Compatriot Kolo Muani, meanwhile, secured a switch to Juventus at the turn of the year, and the 26-year-old caught the eye in a dysfunctional Old Lady outfit.
Kolo Muani ended the Serie A season with eight goals to his name. He added two goals at the Club World Cup and while Juventus were keen to retain the France international’s services, a failure to agree a deal with PSG opened the door for a move elsewhere. Having failed to lure Kolo Muani to London in the winter, on summer deadline day Spurs secured their man.
It comes at a good time, too. Dominic Solanke missed the 1-0 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday owing to an ankle injury. “I’m hopeful he will be back after the international break,” Thomas Frank said of the striker’s absence against his former employers. Solanke sat out a bulk of Tottenham’s pre-season campaign and there are concerns he could be sidelined for longer. It wouldn’t be the first time a Spurs boss has played down a serious injury *cough* Dejan Kulusevski *cough*.
And with Richarlison’s concerns of his own, Spurs could ill-afford to go into Frank’s debut campaign with two injury-stricken strikers on the books, meaning a move for Kolo Muani made sense. The former Eintracht Frankfurt man joins on a straight loan in what is another smart capture.
He’s a ready-made addition to the frontline, adding experience to a relatively young squad, and is able to provide cover not only as the focal point in attack, but down either flank too. Injuries massively impacted Spurs under Postecoglou last season and the club is keen to avoid a repeat, with the arrival of Kolo Muani swelling Frank’s forward options considerably.
What’s key also, is that he brings variety to this Spurs frontline. Kolo Muani is a powerful runner both on and off the ball, but has the requisite physicality to his game that means he is able to shine as the lone frontman. Whether a ball is played in behind the opposition backline or Spurs opt to go direct, Kolo Muani is a thorn in the side for defences and this multi-functionality grants Frank greater tactical flexibility in the final third.
Combined with the permanent signings of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons, Spurs have a revived attack that blends a number of key traits to ensure Kolo Muani is a success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Fans have quickly been won over by Kudus, who brings that dynamism that was found wanting on the flank. Simons, meanwhile, is a marquee signing, worthy of taking on the number 7 shirt vacated by club legend Son Heung-Min following his departure for LAFC.
The young Dutchman is able to pry apart staunch backlines, and with a keen eye for a defence-splitting pass; a forward line that was heavily disrupted due to injuries last season is suddenly reinvigorated. With Kulusevski also due back before too long, Frank has ample top quality attacking options of which to utilise.
And for a head coach of Frank’s ilk who looks to tinker with his system depending on the calibre of upcoming opposition, Kolo Muani provides versatility to the way with which the Dane can set his side up. Indeed, Kolo Muani’s best season with Eintracht came in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season, where he ended the campaign with 15 goals and 11 assists. In that time, then-Eintracht boss Oliver Glasner favoured a 3-4-2-1 setup with the France international leading the charge, and doing so impressively.
In this system, Kolo Muani flourished with the freedom to drift across the attack with those in support reaping the rewards from the Frenchman’s desire to pull to the flanks, opening up space to be exploited. The likes of Kudus and Simons will be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of operating behind a forward of his calibre.
He offers the best of both Solanke and Richarlison, and this is only a good thing for Spurs as they look to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League and follow up their Europa League triumph with further success. While one should never return to a jilted lover, Kolo Muani is a striker worthy of a second chance.
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